


still here

by lavendericecoffee



Series: TFTBL AU [6]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Conversations, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, TFTBL AU, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavendericecoffee/pseuds/lavendericecoffee
Summary: It all had to go down, after Helios crashed.
Relationships: Timothy Lawrence/Rhys
Series: TFTBL AU [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801879
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	still here

**Author's Note:**

> written for my dear [ Spok](https://spoks-illogical-art.tumblr.com/) <3  
> I mean I got kinda carried away with the prompt so yeah sfjbndfjk also I used Spok's [ TFTBL AU](https://spoks-illogical-art.tumblr.com/tagged/tftbl-au) which is basically TFTBL but there's Tim and it's honestly perfect

Smoke was everywhere.

Clogged air, filled with the scent of fire. Everything, wherever the sight could go, was either destroyed, or barely hanging on to the last pieces. Lots and lots of rubble not even remotely looking like the place it’s been for the longest time before. Smoke in the air, almost trying to hide the worst elements of the destruction.

The moment right after Timothy has stepped out from his escape pod, he felt it all hit him in the face. He coughed at the sudden contact and looked around. He squinted at the rash air, as his eyes started filling with tears, just to fight the burning particles.

Helios was completely destroyed. Every single room, building and sphere – all gone in a matter of seconds. Timothy knew this place like the back of his hand. He’s spent countless hours there, whenever Jack needed him to fill his place. Sometimes even walked the passages and various bars on his own, always cloaked to get a break from his persona. He knew this place well. But he also knew, he wouldn’t miss it in the slightest.

The unimaginable quietness was getting all to him. Nothing, nowhere, not a single living soul. Only the crackles of fire and his own heartbeat.

Timothy got up and started walking, trying to find anything, anyone. He felt his mask slipping away. Letting out a groan, he once more ripped it from his face. He hated it. He hated every moment where he had to pretend to be this monster. Giving it the last look, Timothy threw it on the ground and stomped it. That’ll teach him… He guessed.

What was there even to do? He couldn’t find anyone, he didn’t have a place. His last bet would probably be to check on Athena, or get to the Hollow Point to see Janey, or-

Rhys.

He had to find Rhys.

He stormed off through the pathway, trying to find anything that could help him. He cried out Rhys’ name with the last bits of his breath. At this moment he couldn’t think straight, he just wished Rhys had survived the crash. Scanning out every little detail in every little corner, he panted heavily, desperately trying to find any glimpse of him. And then he heard a scream.

Without even thinking, he ran to the direction. When he finally approached the place, his heart stopped in the moment.

“Rhys!!” he shouted back to him, a smile forming in the corners of his mouth.

He was there. Barely standing on his feet, looking as if he was about to collapse but _he was there_. And in this moment, it was all that mattered to Tim.

“T-Timothy?” Rhys answered, trying to muster any kind of voice from himself.

Timothy raced once again to get right to him. When he got closer, the relieved smile turned into a crushing frown. Rhys’ prosthetic arm was ripped off right from him, his eye tightly shut and his blood, dripping both from his arm and from the cybernetic on his temple. He looked like all the hell got to him and didn’t wanna let go.

“Rhys, Rhys, what… What the hell happened?” he called back and almost whispered the last part.

“I… J-Jack…”

Rhys breathed heavily and collapsed on his knees. Immediately, Tim caught him and pulled right close in his arms.

“He’s… Gone…” Rhys muttered. His hand opened, revealing the cybernetic from his head.

Timothy’s eyes got wider, surprise overcoming him.

“Oh, you brilliant idiot! And you just ripped all of this from you, like nothing happened?”

“Wouldn’t call it… N-Nothing…” he tried to smile or to chuckle but the unimaginable pain coursed right all through his body, crushing him from the inside.

“Damn right, I mean, just… Wow…” Tim smiled, yet suddenly got back to the reality. “Oh my god, I gotta get you out of here and-“

“Atlas.”

“Huh?” Tim blinked in confusion.

“Take Atlas papers… You never k-know,” he tried to say something more but then only let out a cough.

“Right! Right, right, I’ll just… Get them over there and oh god, Rhys, I mean, don’t worry, I will uh, em, get us out of here and-“

His quick paced talk was interrupted by another one of Rhys’ coughs. His grip on Timothy’s arm felt much weaker, as Tim looked right back on his face.

“Timothy… Tim…”

He whispered once more and passed out. Right in his arms.

Timothy’s body tensed up, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. It wasn’t happening, it couldn’t happen. Franticly, he pressed his ear against Rhys’ chest, then closer to his face. A sigh of relief and a short ‘thank you’ escaped Tim’s mouth.

His heart was still beating. He was still breathing. He was still there with him.

* * *

Rhys didn’t remember much.

Short series of almost movie shots danced in his mind. He remembered how Timothy was carrying him in his strong arms. He remembered his cheek pressed against a window of a car, which Tim has probably stolen from Helios’ rubbles. He remembered how he was laid down on the bed, finally resting properly. But it was all.

His eyes fluttered at some sunlight peeking through the windows. Rhys looked around weakly, trying to regain his now blurred vision. Every single part of his body hurt so badly, yet he still tried to at least get up, at least a little. His hand firstly touched his face, feeling the bandage right on his eye. Or at least, where his eye was supposed to be. He’s noticed another bandage, right where he had ripped his arm. Almost for sure he had other ones but it really didn’t matter to him now.

He was starting to remember. The Helios crash, the destruction… Jack. God, he wished he’d forgotten this part.

Rhys let out a loud groan, as he felt his head pounding heavily. His hand went to his temples, trying to gently massage the place. He then felt another one of his wounds, aching like hell just with the lightest touch.

Looking around the place it felt… Familiar but not quite. Biggest windows all around him, wild flowers right behind them. The spacious inside with lots of high tech devices. A little corner with big table and fruits stacked on it.

Then he saw him. Timothy, standing a little further away, probably cutting said fruit. He finally turned away to him, almost letting out a gasp.

“Oh, hey!” Tim perked up seeing him get up just a little, “You’re finally awake, oh thank god.”

“Timothy…? Where are we?” Rhys tried to regain his voice. It wasn’t the greatest question to ask at this moment, but well, wasn’t that a start.

Timothy placed all the fruit he’s prepared on a little tray. He then went to Rhys and sat beside him, handing him the plate.

“Welll, the old Atlas facility. You’ve been mumbling a lot about it in your sleep and with the Atlas papers, I figured it’s the best place,” he explained shorty and then gestured to fruits. “C’mon, you’re probably starving after all… That. It’s not much but hey, it’d be fine for now.”

“Thanks,” Rhys finally smiled back at him and started eating, “Thanks… So much for all of this. You really went your way.”

“Heh, I had to. Or more like I… Wanted to,” Tim started but then continued in a quieter voice, “Listen, you had no idea how you looked back there. I had to get you outta there back to safety. Drove us back here, tried to find the best place, fix up your wounds… If you didn’t mind me undressing you a little, I mean you were all like super beat up so I had to do somethi-”

“Not at all,” Rhys said quickly. He felt a little warmth on his face immediately after. _Goddammit Rhys, bite your damn tongue from time to time_ , he scolded himself in his mind.

“Right. Good then!,” he continued, looking away for a second. “You’ve really blacked out for some time. I’ve been checkin’ on you all this time, trying to see if you’re alright. And you have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

“I’m happy to see you too.”

Rhys took another bite, observing Tim right beside him. He was nervously playing with his fingers, tapping them back and forth. His sight going around both at Rhys and away, whenever he caught his glance. But Rhys looked right on his face.

He tried so hard to put up him as if nothing happened to him but Rhys knew exactly the devil was in the details. His eyes were more tired than ever before, his face though cleaned up still had marks where the mask went, his hair all ruffled. He must’ve been always on the go, trying to take care of Rhys and of himself. This brave goddamn man, he really did it all.

Before he could find any words, Timothy asked:

“But tell me… What exactly happened there?”

Wasn’t that a good question, Rhys asked himself. A part of him remembered it completely, without any flaw. But his head was still spinning, still thinking what was real and what was just his hallucination. Despite, he knew that Timothy deserved an answer.

“I didn’t destroy him. His AI was still in whatever was left in Helios. He tried to upload himself again to my head so I just… Ripped all my cybernetics apart. The only way to stop him for good,” he answered yet his mind was still clogged with all that’s happened, “Tim, I’m… So sorry. I’m so goddamn sorry for all of this, it’s all my fault. Everything that happened at Helios, just…”

Suddenly Rhys felt a light touch, trembling a little. Timothy’s thumb circled on his fingers, slowly and trying to calm.

“Y-You did what you have to be done. I can’t blame you for that… And the way you just got it all from yourself… Gotta say, you looked like a disaster but I’ve never been more impressed,” Timothy smiled gently.

“Believe me, I _felt_ like a disaster. In… More ways than one, I guess. Oh my god, have you found anyone else? Do you think…?” Rhys furrowed his brow, worry overcoming him.

Jack’s mocking words still echoing in his head. If it was all true… Maybe Jack was right about him all along. Nothing but a corporate marionette, a coward and a murderer.

“No! No no, definitely not, at least not all I mean,” Timothy replied rather sharply but immediately added in a softer tone, “You’ve seen a lot of people escape to the pods. Heck, you know I did too, so you know there’s hope.”

“I’m just glad that you’re alright… You look damn tired, if you ask me.”

His grip strengthened on his hand. Tim’s shoulders rose a little but quickly he let out a sigh. A rather exhausted sounding one.

“Pfshh, I’m fine, just a little-,” he stopped to yawn, “A little tired but no, totally fine.”

Rhys cracked a smile at him, “Yeah okay, you’re definitely lying.”

“Maybe.”

Then he smiled, crinkling his nose a little. Rhys smirked at him but deep down, his heart skipped a beat, looking at this adorable man. And everything he’s been doing to him.

The silence grew between them right after. Rhys continued eating, as Timothy just observed him, still staying close. There was something specific in his stare, Rhys noticed. How he didn’t wanna go further, how he still wanted to keep him nearby. Rhys’ heart felt heavy, just thinking about how much he’s already sacrificed just to keep him safe.

He really felt like he didn’t deserve it, in the slightest.

“Listen, if you wanna return to your safe house, well, first off I can’t blame you and second, it’s… Fine. I’ll be fine,” Rhys said softly, brushing off his hair on the side. “All of this has probably already gave you way too much stress and. I really don’t wanna hold you back. But just know that, you’ve been amazing back there. I’ve never met anyone stronger than you.”

Passing moment made Rhys look once again exactly at Timothy. He didn’t say a word but he could already see the clockworks in his brain turning rapidly. Deep down inside, Rhys wished, begged that he’d stay but something also kept telling him otherwise. That his own wellbeing is more important than just Rhys’ demands. That he’s way too important to Rhys to just stay miserable for the rest of his days, being reminded of all the wrong that has happened.

Yet instead, Timothy held Rhys’ hand again. He observed it carefully, almost as if to avoid Rhys’ stare and brushed his thumb against his knuckles. Prepared for anything, Rhys could only wait.

“It’s been _a lot_ , lemme tell ya. Teaming up with Athena, meeting you all, getting kidnapped back there, playing ugh Jack again and just… It’s really been a lot,” Timothy kept looking at their hands, closely put together. “But you know what? It finally made me _feel_. I’ve been stranded in that frickin’ shed for more than a year. It wasn’t living – just barely surviving. And then you and Vaughn showed up.”

“Yeah well, gotta say, he wasn’t as enthusiastic about this.”

“So you were enthusiastic?”

“Well… Could call it like that.”

“Then you know your way,” Tim let out a small laugh and finally looked him in the eye. “Sure this whole thing was crazy but it felt right again. Like finally doing something cause I felt like so, not because Jack told me or without it I’d die. With all ups and downs, I mean.”

For the first time, Rhys didn’t want to say anything else. He just wanted to listen, hear Timothy as he was, not with banging of Jack’s comments, constantly hitting his head.

“Besides, didn’t you just destroy Jack? He’s gone, like truly gone after all… You’re so dang brave, you know,” he continued, now a grin lighting up his features.

Rhys didn’t even have a moment to consider this but… He really did it. Handsome Jack is no more than just a piece of hardware, never to see the light of day. It was over.

“Do you… Really think so? That I’m brave?” Rhys asked, a little skeptically.

“I do. It takes a lot to just go ahead and do all of _that_ to make everyone’s life better. Well… Mine at least.”

Timothy’s grip was gentle, yet still firm. Rhys blinked several times, heart almost stopping at the confession. Before he could say anything else, Rhys saw him scooting a little closer to him.

“Heck, I told you this already but all we’ve been through made me feel so… Good. And you’re… Amazing, Rhys. Even if at the start I was at on a big fence. And lemme say, I’d go on thousands of adventures like these, if that means meeting you.”

The heat on his face was now unmistakable. Rhys’ heart still pounding in his chest, every word of Timothy’s making it beat even harder. He looked closely at him. Still seeing many of said devilish details of how exhausted he was. But the look in his eye, his soft, yet still uncertain smile, the millions of freckles covering his cheeks and neck. Beaten up but still standing so certainly, being himself to the core. Rhys has never seen someone as beautiful as him.

There was only one thing on Rhys’ mind. Stupid, reckless thing. So of course, he had to do it.

His hand left Timothy’s grip and focused on the curve of his jawline. He was close already but in just a moment, Rhys pulled him completely, placing a kiss on his lips. He was gentle at first, still anxious that it wouldn’t end well for him. But then he felt a distinguished touch. Timothy’s hands wrapped around his waist, while his own lips returned Rhys’ embrace. Kissing slowly, thoroughly, like it was meant to be.

From his waist, Timothy’s grip focused on him completely. He pulled Rhys even closer into a tight hug, cradling him like he was all there was in the world. Still while he kept his kisses, peppering Rhys’ whole mouth. Rhys himself moved his palm to Timothy’s shoulder blades, trying to hug him back. All whilst his hand trembled, he couldn’t believe it was all happening.

The tightness of the embrace made Rhys break off the kiss, just to regain the breath Timothy took. He buried his face on the arch of Tim’s shoulder.

“You really are a thief, stealing my heart just like that,” Rhys whispered against him.

“Pff, a pick up line? C’mon, try harder,” Timothy laughed.

“Don’t tell me you’re not smiling there.”

“…Fine.”

Timothy didn’t say anything else. Just smiled brightly and held him as close as he could, certain that they won’t ever forget this moment.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u so much for reading, I hope u liked it!! 💕
> 
> also the prompt was "A kiss paired with a tight hug, knocking the breath out of the person being hugged"


End file.
